


Forever Given To The Morning

by MangoTea



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 07:13:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3281561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MangoTea/pseuds/MangoTea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Legolas is leaving Ithilien, perhaps for the last time.  He thinks of retiring with his husband, but Gimli has other ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever Given To The Morning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [red_lasbelin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_lasbelin/gifts).



Legolas was leaving the Forest of Ithilien. There was a strange quality about the Elven city there that had only come into being after the time of the Elves was over in Middle Earth. Elves who had chosen to stay and fade wandered around, pondering a coming mortality that still seemed unreal to them. Elves that would go the West clung tightly to the kin and the world they would leave. The Elves were mostly happy, but only because they chose to be so in spite of time having finally caught up with them. Still, sad silence and brooding melancholy kept drifting through the woods. 

Legolas was on a white horse wearing heavier robes as Lord of Ithilien than he had as a Prince of Mirkwood. The velvet was dark brown. Around how his brow was a circlet of dark orange and yellow gems. They were polished rather then cut to create a dim, autumnal glow. He reached the edge of the woods and joined the road that lead to the city ruled by Gimli in the Glittering Caves. 

He slid from his horse and stroked his long neck. “I hope to be here a while, wander as you will,” he whispered into his mane. 

Legolas walked into the mouth of the cave system, which was still in the mostly raw state they had first seen it in many years ago. The Dwarves said they could not agree on an entrance design. Legolas suspected the Dwarves actually enjoyed having wonders tucked behind an unassuming opening in the rock. 

Dwarves bowed as he walked through the halls to the Throne Room, which was empty. Gimli could never stand to greet him formally, as one Lord to another. Without breaking stride he went behind the throne and into the private apartments beyond.

He found Gimli sat on a bench overlooking the central courtyard of the community. His hair was loose down his back. It seemed to get longer and fuller every year. His appearance was always slightly different, and yet nothing felt as familiar to Legolas as seeing his husband again. Legolas pulled off his heavy robe, his jacket and his circlet. He shed the layers and symbols of his office, perhaps for the last time. He sunk down next to Gimli, wrapped his arms around him and buried his nose in his hair. 

“Ah, there you are at last, my Love.” Gimli said and leaned in.

“It's good to be home. I have missed you terribly.”

“Caves are your home now? You are odd for an Elf.”

“Caves are not my home, and neither are woods. This is my home.” Legolas tightened his arms as he spoke. Gimli chuckled in response. Gimli shifted and leaned in, resting his head against Legolas' shoulder. Legolas looked down at him. Gimli still wore his years lightly. His face had changed some, but his eyes were clear. Legolas leaned down and kissed him gently. Gimli's lips were warm and soft. His grip on Legolas' back was strong. 

“You should be home more often, then.” Gimli's words were meant to be light, but they came out a bit rougher than he'd meant.

“I should. We have both had obligations to our people. Mine at least may be at an end. Already the number of Elves in Ithilien begin to dwindle. The need the land had for us was urgent and terrible when we settled there. The wounds of war and the lingering poisons of Mordor made the lands cry out to us. Now it is fainter with each passing season. Perhaps the call for us to be there is gone and we only hear an echo.”

“I admit I have wondered if such wounds can heal.”

“The scars will never truly fade. Those wars are part of the land, the trees. ”

“You restore the woods only to leave them in the hands of Men and Dwarves,” Gimli teased. “Nice thick trees.”

“A thought that would have once frightened me.” Legolas paused and looked out over the courtyard that Gimli had been gazing at. A tumble of crystal ran through the large cavern. It had been slowly and carefully uncovered as the years passed. In scattered low places deep holes had been cut into the rock and filled with oil, turning them into long burning lamps. The light glowed and refracted from deep within the crystal formations. The effect reminded Legolas of a turbulent river, yet somehow made of ice and fire.

“Looking across these caverns,” Legolas continued, “ I see how the work celebrates and plays with the beauty of the caves rather than destroys it. My heart is untroubled. Perhaps Dwarves know how to garden after all. Yes, I think the tasks of Elves in this land are at an end.”

“You mean it? You are truly staying?” 

“I sent word to Aragorn that I yield the lands to Gondor. Now I come to yield myself to you.”

Gimli closed his eyes for several long moments, just letting the idea settle in his mind. He took Legolas' hands in his own and kissed them. “The Elven Princeling is truly mine at last.”

“I have no lands or people. I am not much of a Prince anymore. Now I am simply the husband to a great Lord.” 

“You are far more than that, but I will hardly argue the point. Have the Elves of Ithilien all left?”

“Some have gone into the West already. More will follow. They hardly need governance or direction. Others will not leave Middle Earth. They will fade, either there or in other woods across the land. There is no help I can give them.”

“Our years apart are finally over.” Gimli straightened, pulling away a little to look into Legolas' eyes. 

“Yes. As strange as it will be to live out my time in Middle Earth under rock, I think the time has finally come where I can put my other obligations aside and obey my heart.”

“No more talking like that! You have been thinking too much of endings and twilight hours. Long shadows have crept into your mind. Such talk of living out our lives when there are still journeys we may take together. Our travels are far from over.”

Legolas blinked. “What of these caves?”

“The work here will continue long past my life. I may even enjoy them more if I come back to see actual progress rather than the slow unfolding day by day. Come, your duties have fallen away and perhaps it is time to pass off mine to younger Dwarves. This is no twilight, this is a new day.” Gimli stood, pulling Legolas up. 

Legolas laughed. “Your fire never dims, does it?”

“We could linger here or we could find more woods, more towers and mountains. We could find that tavern the Hobbits were always on about and surprise the little rascals. I have already been places no Dwarf has ever been. There must be more new ground out there for me to break.”

“Fearless creature, if I fell to the sea calling in my blood you would simply follow me,” Legolas said softly.

“Follow you? You'd never get far enough ahead of me for that. You'd be stuck with me in your boat.” 

“You mean that. Even when you speak rashly, you speak from the heart. You really would follow me.”

“If you are to go, I'd rather you took me. Otherwise, you'd be lingering here until my last breath releases you. That sounds tedious. I'd much rather go and have us make memories in the home that awaits you there. You living forever in the West in some dwelling I'd never even seen? One I had no hand in making?”

“That would be an adventure no mortal has yet managed and few ever will,” Legolas said in wonder.

“Then let us roam this land. When we are both wearied and satisfied, we shall sail together and rest in your new home. I will carve the walls, scatter my crafts across the mantle and make myself a bed from one of your couches.”

“And show up at Galadriel's for tea, no doubt!”

Gimli laughed. “Aye, that would be a thing indeed. Are we agreed, then?”

“Suddenly, I can't imagine my life any other way.”

“Ye might get into trouble, bringing a stow-away.”

“It cannot be helped,” Legolas said, laughing, “The heart of my love is forever given to the morning. Every new dawn of my life will be shared with him.”


End file.
